Role of Chest Ultrasonography in Assessment of Diaphragmatic Mobility in COPD Patients on Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

Abstract

he aim of this study was to evaluate chest ultrasound as a simple, non-invasive test in assessment of diaphragmatic mobility in COPD patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation program and its correlation with maximal inspiratory pressure (Pi MAX), Pe MAX, 6MWT and symptoms evaluation by clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) and mMRC dyspnea scale. The present study was conducted upon thirty clinically stable COPD male patients (after exclusion of 26 patients due to non- adherence to the program. The Mean ±SD of age of the patients was 54.50±8.81. All patients were enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program for 8 weeks (16 sessions), during which upper limb exercise, lower limb exercise and inspiratory muscle training were performed. Initial assessment for diaphragmatic excursion and diaphragmatic thickness using M mode ultrasound was done. In addition to this, functional assessment was performed using pre and post BD spirometry, Pi MAX, Pe MAX and six minute walk test (6MWT). Symptoms evaluation also was done using mMRC dyspnea scale and clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ). Regular 2 week interval visits were done for diaphragmatic assessment by US and symptoms evaluation by mMRC and CCQ. At the end of the pulmonary rehabilitation program, re-evaluation of the patients using the same preliminary parameters was executed.